1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of headers for combines and harvesters, particularly “draper” headers.
2. Related Art
Combines and harvesters having headers with conveyor belts, often called “drapers,” are known in the art. The belts convey cut crop from the outer ends of the header towards the center of the header for feeding into the combine feeder house. In a typical prior art header, two lateral conveyor belts whose longitudinal dimension would be perpendicular to the direction of travel of the combine, transport crops to the center of the header by rotating their top surface from the outside in. Then a third belt with a direction of rotation parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle, was disposed between and underneath the inside ends of the lateral belts. This belt would catch the crop from both lateral belts and transport it back into the feeder house, usually with the help of an auger disposed behind the center belt and the back header wall. A representative example of such a prior art configuration is U.S. Pat. No. 6,865,871 B2.
In prior art machines, crop traveling to the feeder house from the lateral belts thus made essentially a sharp ninety degree turn as it left the inner end of the lateral belts and was then conveyed by the center belt in a perpendicular direction. (See FIG. 1A, prior art.) This ninety degree turn could lead to disadvantageous misalignments and interruption of flow of long stalk crops as they were fed into the feeder house. It also suppressed the speed at which the belts could turn and the speed at which the combine could process crop because at higher speeds crop could bunch, jam, hesitate or enter the feeder house misaligned.
Additionally, the center belt would receive crop cut from directly in front of it. This crop falling onto the center belt simultaneously with the center belt receiving opposing crop feeds from the lateral belts caused additional turbulence and potential for disadvantageous bunching, jamming or interrupted flow of the crop as it was received from the three perpendicular directions. Overloading of the center belt can cause reduced speed and capacity, and plugging of excess crop under the side belts. Accordingly, there has been a need in the art for a smoother crop feed path into the feeder house for belt or draper headers in order to realize advantageous increases in speed and throughput.
There is a continuing need in the art to reduce the complexity of assemblies, and thereby reduce the opportunity for mechanical breakdown or crops jamming between components. There is a further continuing need for durability, economy and efficiency.